Refrigeration, condensation collecting and removal apparatus

ABSTRACT

An enclosed compartment is refrigerated by the heat transfer through a refrigerated wall positioned at the upper refrigerated wall is collected in a channel formed along the lower edge of the refrigerated wall. The channel is inclined to permit the condensed moisture to flow down the channel and out of a conduit through the wall of the compartment to a container.

[ ]March 20, 1973 United States Patent [191 Schwertfeger et al.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,610,626 12/1926 Smith [54] REFRIGERATION, CONDENSATION COLLECTING AND REMOVAL APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Owen J. Schwertfeger, Chicago;

2,381,013 8/1945 Tanner.. Frank Daniel Brill, Norridge, both 2,437,257 3/1948 Johnson of 111. 2,438,355 3/1948 Wilson 2,780,925 2/1957 McGrew [73] Assignee: The Seeburg Corporation, Chicago,

Primary Examiner-William ,l. Wye Attorney-Ronald L. Engel et a1.

[22] Filed: Aug. 5, 1971 7] ABSTRACT An enclosed compartment is refrigerated by the heat 21 Appl. No.: 169,331

[52] US. Cl. ........................62/289, 62/393, 62/396, transfer through a refrigerated wall positioned at the upper refrigerated wall is collected in a channel 62/285 [51] Int. 21/14 formed along the lower edge of the refrigerated wall. [58] Field of Search........62/285, 288, 289, 291, 393, Th h nnel i lin to permi he condense moisture to flow down the channel and out of a conduit through the wall of the compartment to a container.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZO I975 INVENTOR 52-i- OWEN ascuwsnwzesn REFRIGERATION, CONDENSATION COLLECTING AND REMOVAL APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for refrigerating enclosed compartments and collecting and removing condensed moisture forming on the refrigerated surfaces of the compartment and further 1 relates to an apparatus for refrigerating syrup compartments in soft drink vending machines and preventing the unsanitary accumulation of condensed moisture in the syrup compartment.

2. Description of the Prior Art Syrup compartments for storing syrups utilized in the preparation of beverages vended from a soft drink vending machine previously have not been refrigerated since it was acceptable practice to include chemical preservatives in the syrups to prevent spoilage. However, in recent years, limitations have been placed on the types and amounts of chemical preservatives that may be introduced into various types of food substances including soft drink syrups. Even though certain chemical preservatives are still permitted in this country, the quantity of preservatives that allowably may be incorporated in the syrups will not prevent spoilage of the syrups for an extended period of time. In addition, some foreign countries have completely banned the utilization of chemical preservatives in soft drink syrups, and thus, it has been necessary to devise other methods of preserving soft drink syrups from spoilage when stored for long periods of time in a soft drink vending machine. Consequently, it has been desirable to provide refrigerated syrup compartments for soft drink vending machines utilized in both the United States and in foreign countries to inhibit or retard the spoilage of the syrups.

However, certain problems have been experienced in the design and manufacture of refrigerated syrup compartments in soft drink vending machines. For example, soft drink vending machines typically include a conventional refrigeration system for the purpose of cooling the water utilized in the preparation of the vended soft drinks, and also to cool the carbonated apparatus to increase the absorption of the carbon dioxide into the water. Thus, to avoid the expense of a duplicate refrigeration system to refrigerate the syrup compartment the prior art apparatus have utilized additional cooling coils connected to the existing refrigeration system to cool the syrup compartment. However, utilization of additional cooling coils have created the problem of placing an additional load on the refrigeration system thereby necessitating the incorporation of a larger more expensive refrigeration system in the vending machine.

Further, additional problems have been experienced in refrigerated syrup compartments in soft drink vending machines. Typically, enclosed refrigerated compartments have a moisture problem resulting from the condensation of water vapor from the air on the cool refrigerated surfaces. The condensed moisture collects on the refrigerated surfaces until the moisture drops become large enough to flow down to the bottom of the compartment by gravity. If the moisture is not removed, the moisture will cause the unsanitary formation of bacteria and mold growth. Typically, in a conventional home refrigerator, a drain is positioned at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment to drain the condensation into a receptacle under the compartment where the moisture is evaporated by the warm air flowing over the receptacle from the condensing coils. However, because of the space requirements and configuration of the typical soft drink vending machine, the conventional approach utilized in home refrigera- 0 tors is impractical and unfeasible because the bottom of the syrup compartment is positioned immediately above the floor. Consequently, to eliminate the problem of unsanitary accumulation of moisture in the bottom of the syrup compartment, it has been necessary to devise other methods of eliminating condensation in soft drink syrup compartments. Preferably, it is desirable to collect the condensed moisture in the existing waste container of the vending machines which is utilized to collect spillage and overflow from the beverage cups when the soft drink is mixed.

In addition, by refrigerating the syrup utilized in the preparation of beverages vended from a soft drink vending machine, the temperature of the vended beverage can be substantially reduced because all the ingredients including the syrup are at approximately the same temperature when mixed together. Since the specific heat of soft drink syrups is somewhat higher than the specific heat of water, a rather pronounced elevation in the temperature of the soft drink results when uncooled syrup is mixed with the cooled water. Thus, a refrigerated syrup compartment provides the advantage of permitting the vending of a more desirable product.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A cooling system for refrigerating soft drink syrup tanks in an enclosed syrup compartment of a soft drink vending machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a heat conducting wall means for conducting heat away from the syrup compartment positioned at the upper portion of the syrup compartment. Positioned along the lower edge of the heat conducting wall means is a condensation collection means for collecting condensed moisture which forms on the heat conducting wall means. Provided in communication with the collection means is a condensation emptying means for conveying the condensed moisture from the condensation collection means to the exterior of the syrup compartment. Thus, moisture condensing on the heat conducting wall means by the force of gravity, is collected by the condensation collecting means and is then removed from the syrup compartment by the emptying means.

The present invention avoids the difficulties experienced by the prior art refrigerated syrup compartments. By positioning the heat conducting wall means at the upper portion of the syrup compartment and placing the condensation collection means immediately below the heat conducting wall means, the condensed moisture is removed before it collects at the bottom of the syrup compartment. Thus, the unsanitary formation of bacteria and mold growth on the bottom of the syrup compartment is substantially eliminated. Further, by placing the heat conducting wall means at the upper portion of the syrup compartment, the condensed moisture can be removed from the syrup compartment by the emptying means at a high enough level above the bottom of the syrup compartment to permit the existing waste container of the soft drink vending machine to be utilized without the necessity of modification of the soft drink vending machine.

In addition, by positioning the heat conducting wall means at the upper portion of the syrup compartment, the heat conducting wall means may comprise a common wall of the water and carbonator cooling tank of the soft drink vending machine, thus eliminating the expense of an enlarged or duplicate refrigeration system for the syrup compartment and the water and carbonator cooling tank. Thus, the present invention has substantially eliminated the problems experienced in the design and fabrication of prior art refrigerated syrup compartments for soft drink vending machines.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refrigeration, condensation collecting and removal apparatus for utilization in soft drink vending machines which substantially eliminates the unsanitary formation of condensed moisture in the bottom of the syrup compartment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refrigeration, condensation collecting and removal apparatus for utilization in a soft drink vending machine which utilizes the existing refrigeration system of the vending machine thereby avoiding the expense of a duplicate or enlarged refrigeration system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved refrigeration, condensation collecting and removal apparatus for utilization in a soft drink vending machine that permits the collection of the condensed moisture in the existing waste container of the soft drink vending machine.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the subject invention will hereinafter appear and for the purposes of illustration, but not of limitation an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a upper left front partially fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional partially fragmentary view taken substantially along 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional partially fragmentary view taken substantially along line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional partially fragmentary view taken substantially along line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional partially fragmentary view taken substantially along line 5--5 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, soft drink syrup tanks are positioned in syrup compartment 12 of soft drink vending machine (not shown). Syrup compartment 12 comprises back wall 14, first side wall 16, door 18, lid 20, second side wall 22 and mutual wall 24. Mutual wall 24 is positioned immediately above second side wall 22 to form a single wall surface.

During normal operations, lid would be closed and syrup tubes 11 which are utilized to draw syrup from the syrup tanks would extend through openings (not shown) in lid 20. Also not shown is a bottom wall of the syrup compartment 12 upon which the syrup tanks 10 are supported. Thus, when door 18 and lid 20 are closed, syrup compartment 12 forms an enclosed chamber. In addition, back wall 14, first side wall 16, door 18, lid 20, second side wall 22, and bottom wall (not shown) are fabricated from heat insulative material and thus, syrup compartment 12 forms an easily refrigerated chamber.

Mutual wall 24 comprises a common wall of a carbonator and water bath cooling tank assembly 30. Tank assembly 30 is a conventional assembly utilized in soft drink vending machines and generally comprises a carbonator tank 32 in which carbon dioxide gas is caused to be absorbed by water to produce the carbonated water utilized in the vended soft drinks. Tank assembly 30 also comprises refrigeration coils 34 which cool the bath water 31 in the tank assembly 30. Tank assembly 30 also comprises water cooling coils 36 in which water is cooled before being introduced into the carbonator tank.

Mutual wall 24 is cooled by the transmission of heat through the bath water 31 to the refrigeration coils 34. The remaining three side walls 38 of tank assembly 30 and the top cover 40 and bottom surface 42 of tank assembly 30 are fabricated from heat insulative material to minimize the heat loss from the bath water 31 to the atmosphere. However, mutual wall 24 is fabricated from a relatively thin heat conducting material so that heat will be conducted from syrup compartment 12 through mutual wall 24 to the bath water 31 in tank assembly 30. Since mutual wall 24 is fabricated from a relatively thin material, diagonally aligned elongated indentations 50 are formed in the surface of mutual wall 24 for the purpose of increasing the strength and rigidity of mutual wall 24. With reference to FIG. 4, elongated indentations 50 have a generally semicircular cross section but conveniently may take any desired cross sectional form which will provide the required properties of strength and rigidity.

Tank assembly 30 is supported by tank assembly support 44. Tank assembly support 44 comprises front wall 46, side wall (not shown), back wall (not shown) and second side wall 22 of syrup compartment 12 which are joined to form a rectangular support for tank assembly 30. A frame 26 is attached to both tank assembly 30 and tank assembly support 44 to keep tank assembly 30 in position and hold mutual wall 24 and second side wall 22 in alignment.

With reference to FIG. 3, formed at the junction of bottom surface 42 and mutual wall 24 of tank assembly 30 is downwardly extending protrusion 60. Also attached to bottom surface 42 of tank assembly 30 is one edge of first vertical channel surface 62. First vertical channel surface 62 extends downwardly approximately perpendicular to bottom surface 42 and is integrally jointed at its other edge to one edge of channel bottom surface 64. Channel bottom surface 64 conveniently has a semicircular cross section but may take any feasible cross sectional form. lntegrally formed with the other edge of channel bottom surface 64 is second vertical channel surface 66 which extends upwardly to form a generally U-shaped channel 68 between first and second vertical channel surfaces 62 and 66 and channel bottom surface 64. lntegrally joined to the upper edge of second vertical channel surface 66 is lip surface 70 which conveniently takes the form of a semicircle extending beyond the vertical plane of mutual wall 24. Lip surface 70 is integrally joined at its other edge to vertical abutment surface 72. Vertical abutment surface 72 extends outwardly into the syrup compartment 12 beyond the vertical plane of mutual wall 24, and thus prevents syrup tanks from contacting mutual wall 24. This eliminates the possibility of condensed moisture collecting on the syrup tanks 10 and flowing to the bottom of the syrup compartment 12.

With reference to FIG. 2 protrusion 60 is formed so that it slants at a slight angle from each end of mutual wall 24 to an apex 61 at approximately the center of mutual wall 24. The slanting protrusion 60 to apex 61 tends to cause condensed moisture running down mutual wall 24 to adhere to protrusion 60 and flow towards apex 61 rather than flow to back wall 14 of syrup compartment 12 or to front wall 46 of tank assembly support 44. Thus, water droplets do not accidentally flow around lip surface 70 to the bottom of syrup compartment 12.

U-shaped channel 68 is slightly inclined from a highest point at back wall 14 of syrup compartment 12 towards the front of syrup compartment 12. At the point where U-shaped channel 68 joins with front wall 46 of tank assembly support 44, a circular opening 80 is formed through front wall 46 and frame 26. A conduit extension 82 is joined at opening 80 and extends outwardly from frame 26. The free end of conduit extension 82 is positioned above waste container 84 (illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 1) of the soft drink vending machine.

When lid and door 18 of syrup compartment 12 are closed and bath water 31 in tank assembly is cooled by refrigeration coils 34, mutual wall 24 will conduct heat from syrup compartment 12 and thus cool syrup compartment 12 and syrup tanks 10. While the heat conducted through mutual wall 24 will not reduce the temperature in syrup compartment 12 to as low a temperature as the bath water 31 in tank assembly 30, the heat conducted through mutual wall 24 is sufficient to maintain the temperature within syrup compartment 12 at a sufficiently low temperature to inhibit the spoilage of syrup in syrup tanks 10.

Since mutual wall 24 will be at a lower temperature than the air in syrup compartment 12, there will be a tendency for moisture to condense on mutual wall 24. The amount of moisture condensing on mutual wall 24 will depend upon the relative humidity of the air in syrup compartment 12. The condensation of moisture on mutual wall 24 tends to reduce the vapor pressure of the air immediately adjacent mutual wall 24, and thus, the vapor pressure will tend to force the water vapor in the air in syrup compartment 12 toward mutual wall 24. Consequently, since the surface of mutual wall 24 is at the lowest temperature in syrup compartment 12, and since the vapor pressure of the air tends to force the moisture towards mutual wall 24, moisture in the air in syrup compartment 12 will only condense on mutual wall 24 and not on the other surfaces in the syrup compartment 12.

As the moisture condenses, the moisture will tend to form droplets until the droplets become large enough that the force of gravity causes the droplets to flow down mutual wall 24. The condensed water droplets will flow down mutual wall 24 until they reach protrusion 60. The cohesive force of the water molecules with the surface of protrusion 60 will tend to hold the water droplets on the bottom of protrusion 60 until the water droplets become large enough that the force of gravity overcomes the cohesive force and causes the droplets to drip off the bottom of protrusion 60 into U-shaped channel 68. Since lip surface is positioned outside the bottom edge of protrusion 60,'the droplets will drop into U-shaped channel 68 rather than flowing down vertical abutment surface 72 and second side wall 22 to the bottom of syrup compartment 12.

As the water droplets drop into U-shaped channel 68 they tend to flow down U-shaped channel 68 to circular opening and into conduit extension 82. The water droplets then flow out of conduit extension 82 and drop into waste container 84 (illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 1). Waste container 84 also serves the function of collecting the overflow of the beverages as they are mixed during the vending process. Thus, the same waste container 84 that is utilized in conventional beverage vending machines may be utilized to collect the condensation from the syrup compartment 12.

Protrusion 60 serves the purpose of preventing the moisture droplets from climbing" out of U-shaped channel 68. Without protrusion 60, droplets flowing down mutual wall 24 would adhere to bottom surface 42, and then flow down first vertical channel surface 62 thereby gaining enough velocity to flow back up second vertical channel surface and over lip surface 70. Thus, without protrusion 60, moisture could accumulate on the bottom of syrup compartment 12. However, protrusion 60 interrupts the flow of the droplet and tends to cause the droplets to flow to the bottom of protrusion 60 and then drop vertically into U-shaped channel 68. Further, since protrusion 60 is positioned immediately above the edge of second vertical channel surface 66, droplets dropping off of protrusion 60 tend to splash towards first vertical channel surface 62 thereby preventing moisture from splashing out of U-shaped channel 68.

The aforedescribed embodiment represents one of many possible variations of the present invention. It should be also understood that various changes, modifications, and variations of the structure and function of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A cooling system for refrigerating soft drink syrup tanks in an enclosed syrup compartment of a soft drink vending machine and collecting and removing moisture condensing in the syrup compartment comprising:

heat conducting wall means positioned at the upper portion of the syrup compartment, said heat conducting wall means for conducting heat away from the syrup compartment so that the syrup compartment is cooled;

condensation collection means positioned at the lowermost portion of the heat conducting wall means, said condensation collection means for collecting the condensed moisture forming on said heat collecting wall means; and condensation emptying means in communication with the collection means for conveying the condensed moisture from said condensation collection means to the exterior of the syrup compartment;

whereby moisture condensing on said heat conducting wall means flows down said heat conducting wall means by gravity to said condensation collection means and is removed from the syrup compartment by said emptying means.

2. A cooling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heat conducting wall means comprises a mutual wall common to both the syrup compartment and a refrigerated cold water bath in the soft drink vending machine.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said condensation collection means comprises:

a downwardly extending protrusion formed along the lower extremity of said mutual wall;

an open channel positioned immediately below said protrusion,

whereby moisture condensing on said mutual wall flows down said mutual wall and forms drops of moisture on said protrusion until the drops become large enough to drop off said protrusion into said channel.

4. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said channel is slightly inclined from a higher end to a lower end so that the moisture dropping into said channel will flow to the lower end of said channel.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said condensation emptying means comprises a conduit through the side of the syrup compartment communicating with said condensation collection means.

6. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said condensation collection means further comprises an outwardly extending lip formed on an exterior edge of said channel, said lip extending beyond the vertical plane of the mutual wall so that the syrup tanks will not come in contact with said mutual wall.

7. A cooling system as claimed in claim 2 wherein a first diagonal elongated indentation is formed in the mutual wall, and

a second diagonal elongated indentation is formed in the mutual wall intersecting said first indentation.

8. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said protrusion is slanted downwardly from each of its ends to an apex at approximately the center of said protrusion.

9. A condensation collecting and removal system for removing condensed moisture forming on a refrigerated portion of a vertical wall of an enclosed compartment comprising:

a first surface joined at a first edge to a lower edge of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall, said first surface being essentially perpendicular to the vertical wall and extending away from the interior of the compartment;

a second surface joined to a second opposite edge of said first surface, said second surface being essentially vertical and parallel to the plane of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall;

a third surface positioned parallel to the plane of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall, said third surface being positioned away from the plane of 

1. A cooling system for refrigerating soft drink syrup tanks in an enclosed syRup compartment of a soft drink vending machine and collecting and removing moisture condensing in the syrup compartment comprising: heat conducting wall means positioned at the upper portion of the syrup compartment, said heat conducting wall means for conducting heat away from the syrup compartment so that the syrup compartment is cooled; condensation collection means positioned at the lowermost portion of the heat conducting wall means, said condensation collection means for collecting the condensed moisture forming on said heat collecting wall means; and condensation emptying means in communication with the collection means for conveying the condensed moisture from said condensation collection means to the exterior of the syrup compartment; whereby moisture condensing on said heat conducting wall means flows down said heat conducting wall means by gravity to said condensation collection means and is removed from the syrup compartment by said emptying means.
 2. A cooling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heat conducting wall means comprises a mutual wall common to both the syrup compartment and a refrigerated cold water bath in the soft drink vending machine.
 3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said condensation collection means comprises: a downwardly extending protrusion formed along the lower extremity of said mutual wall; an open channel positioned immediately below said protrusion, whereby moisture condensing on said mutual wall flows down said mutual wall and forms drops of moisture on said protrusion until the drops become large enough to drop off said protrusion into said channel.
 4. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said channel is slightly inclined from a higher end to a lower end so that the moisture dropping into said channel will flow to the lower end of said channel.
 5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said condensation emptying means comprises a conduit through the side of the syrup compartment communicating with said condensation collection means.
 6. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said condensation collection means further comprises an outwardly extending lip formed on an exterior edge of said channel, said lip extending beyond the vertical plane of the mutual wall so that the syrup tanks will not come in contact with said mutual wall.
 7. A cooling system as claimed in claim 2 wherein a first diagonal elongated indentation is formed in the mutual wall, and a second diagonal elongated indentation is formed in the mutual wall intersecting said first indentation.
 8. A cooling system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said protrusion is slanted downwardly from each of its ends to an apex at approximately the center of said protrusion.
 9. A condensation collecting and removal system for removing condensed moisture forming on a refrigerated portion of a vertical wall of an enclosed compartment comprising: a first surface joined at a first edge to a lower edge of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall, said first surface being essentially perpendicular to the vertical wall and extending away from the interior of the compartment; a second surface joined to a second opposite edge of said first surface, said second surface being essentially vertical and parallel to the plane of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall; a third surface positioned parallel to the plane of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall, said third surface being positioned away from the plane of the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall toward the interior of the compartment; a fourth surface joining said second and said third surfaces to form a channel therebetween; a downwardly extending protrusion formed at the junction of said first surface and the refrigerated portion of the vertical wall; a conduit communicating with said channel and extending outside of the compartment, whereby moisture condensing on the refrigerated portioN of the vertical wall flows by gravity to said protrusion, drips off said protrusion into said channel and flows out of the compartment through said conduit. 